Academic

3. Illness - Students must be kept home when they are unwell. All students must complete a Covid-19 School Screening each morning before school. Should they fail the screening, please report their absence to the school and follow the directives of the screening tool for any other follow up (such as Covid testing, medical advice, etc).

If your child exhibits symptoms at school, they will need to go home.

If a member of our school community tests positive for Covid-19, we work closely with Public Health by providing attendance and contact tracing information, and are guided by them to determine next steps, such as isolation and/or testing of close contacts. 4. Missed Work – When students are absent from class for any reason, it is their responsibility to follow up with their teachers regarding missed work. If students will be absent for an extended period of time due to illness or quarantine, please contact the office about ensuring that remote learning is set up for them.

1. Achievement – Students are expected to complete their tasks as requested for each course. It is the student's responsibility to complete all assignments and submit work on time. The quality of the products should be consistent with the student’s abilities. It is normal to submit the assignment on or before the due date. We encourage our students to aim to produce beautiful work in all they do. 2. Evaluation Procedures – All students will receive a Course Overview outlining course content, objectives and methods of evaluation for each course at the beginning of each semester including specific final evaluation guidelines. Grades are based on any combination of quizzes, tests, exams, essays, projects, notebooks, and daily assignments. The term is weighted at 70% and the final evaluation is weighted at 30%. Marks are expressed in percentages. Students are reminded that assignments not handed in by the

Mid-Term Deadline or the Final Term Mark Deadline will receive a zero. Individual teacher assignments will be subject to the established Mark Closure Date. 3. Final Evaluation Assignments – Only final evaluation assignments can be due during the final two weeks of a semester. Students will be given adequate class time to complete the tasks and to review for exams where applicable. Final evaluation assignments will be due no later than the last classroom day of the semester. Teachers will contact home if a final evaluation assignment is not handed in. All students are required to complete these assignments. 4. Missed Course Work – In the case of absence from class due to a scheduled school activity or for personal reasons, it remains the responsibility of the student to complete the course assignments. Tests that were written while the student was away for legitimate one or two-day absences will be written upon return to school. The teacher may arrange a make-up test in the case of an extended illness. Tests or quizzes missed during an unexcused absence may not be written. 5. Examinations - All students must write the examination for all courses that have an exam. The amount of time allowed for writing an exam will be strictly enforced. In the case of an absence, the student must provide a school official with a signed doctor's note explaining that attendance was impossible; prior notification where possible is necessary. Each student shall remain in the session for at least one hour. Specific exams may require a longer minimum time. 6. Assignment Assistance Program – Students who have major assignments overdue will have the opportunity to attend Assignment

Assistance Day (AAD). These special days, usually on Saturdays or PD days, will occur twice a semester right before the Mark

Closure Dates. A qualified teacher or supply teacher will supervise them. 7. Reporting – Regular assessment and evaluation updates are posted in Edsby for each student and are accessible at any time to both students and their parents/guardians. Mid-term learning reports for each course are published in Edsby for all students and parents/guardians shortly after the mid-term date in both semesters. Final learning reports for each course will be distributed after the end of each semester. At the end of each school year, a credit summary is mailed along with the final report card. A student’s transcript history is always available through myBlueprint.ca, and a paper transcript may be requested through the office at any time. 8. Calculators - Students may use scientific calculators. Programmable calculators that include learn, execute, and run modes are not allowed during tests and examinations. 9. Electronic Translators / Apps – All English Language Learners may use translators for their regular class work. Students enrolled in ESLAO, BO or CO are permitted to use translators in testing situations however students enrolled in ESLDO or ESLEO will not be allowed to use translators for quizzes, tests or exams. International students who have graduated from or who are not currently enrolled in ESL courses may use electronic translators for their regular class work at the discretion of their teacher. 10. Academic Honesty – We seek to honour God in everything we do, to work with honesty and integrity, and also to honour the gifts and work of others. “Academic dishonesty” is anything that undermines the integrity of student work for assessment. “Plagiarism” is a form of academic dishonesty in which others’ ideas and/or words and/or images are used without clearly acknowledging the original source. Plagiarism is trying to claim credit for something that is not your own work; as such it is unethical and dishonest.

To avoid plagiarizing, credit must be given (citing the source) whenever the following material is used: Quotations or paraphrases or another person’s spoken or written words; any pieces of information that are not common knowledge (facts, statistics, etc.); another person’s work (idea, interpretation, approach, opinion, theory, homework, etc.); any visual representation of information (graphs, drawings/diagrams, photos, images) borrowed from other sources.

Students are encouraged to clarify expectations for citations and references with their individual teachers in each discipline.

Teachers will be responsible for reminding students before any major assignment of the importance of academic honesty and of avoiding plagiarism by citing sources and resources in a project or paper. Students will be responsible for recording all sources and resources used in their research, and for correctly citing sources of their information, whether printed, online or other. They will be responsible for maintaining honesty and integrity in all their work.

Responses to plagiarism and academic dishonesty will always be in concert with HDCH’s restorative practices (see our Living in

Community document). Any instances of plagiarism or other academic dishonesty will be brought to the student’s attention by the teacher. The teacher, in discussion with the student, will determine the nature and extent of the plagiarism or academic dishonesty and, together with the student, will agree to a suitable follow-up. Where appropriate, the Department Head, an Administrator or other facilitator may be included in the discussion.

Amongst other outcomes, the follow-up will aim to give the student a clearer understanding of what plagiarism is, and why and how to avoid it. Depending on the grade level of the student, the nature of the incident and outcome of the discussion, the student may have an opportunity to redeem the work or any parts of the work tarnished by plagiarism, or do an alternative assignment for evaluation making up part or the full value of the original assignment. In cases of repeated plagiarism or deliberate cheating, the student may forfeit up to 100% of the evaluation and/or fulfill other mutually agreed obligations. Such cases may involve a formal circle. 11. Graduation – Students who have completed all the credits and requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma and HDCH diploma are eligible to participate in the ceremony. In unique circumstances, a student completing the requirements for a Certificate of Education may be eligible to participate in the ceremony as determined by the administration. All recipients of HDCH scholarships will be recognized at each graduation. 12. Literary Selection Policy – All course texts taught in our school must follow the guidelines found in our policy document, which is available through the school office. 13. Multimedia Policy – HDCH believes that audio and visual media can be used wisely to accomplish the school’s goals. This policy is also available through the school office. 14. Academic Awards – The school has a variety of academic awards and scholarships. For a complete list, see the Student Services group in Edsby.